3 SAN DIEGANS NABBED IN CHILD PORN CRACKDOWN

Two men, male teen in San Diego part of Internet-based case

A nationwide effort by federal authorities to identify traders and producers of child pornography resulted in the arrests of 255 people last month, including three San Diegans.

Many of those arrested were using the Internet to communicate with minors, asking them to send nude pictures or videos or attempting to meet them to engage in sexual activities, officials said.

The federal crackdown took place from May 28 through June.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations partnered with Internet Crimes Against Children task forces to find the alleged predators — 251 men and four women.

Two men and a 17-year-old high school senior from San Diego were arrested in June, said ICE spokeswoman Lauren Mack. Anthony Gonzalez, 23, and Jeremy Smith, 22, face federal child pornography charges.

Gonzalez, who is unemployed and previously volunteered at Comic-Con, was arrested in Temecula, Mack said.

Smith, an art student and a former member of the Army Reserve, was arrested at his house in San Diego. Investigators believe he has several victims, she said.

The 17-year-old was arrested at his San Diego home. He has been charged with possession of child pornography, Mack said. The images found on his computer were “particularly disturbing” and included very young children, she said.

At least two of the 61 victims are from San Diego, Mack said. Most are 13 to 15 years old.

Thirty-nine of those arrested are from California, including John David Boyle, 49, a former middle schoolteacher from Glendora, in east Los Angeles County. He was taken into custody in his classroom after he allegedly asked an undercover investigator to engage in sexual activity while watching pornography of young boys.

Officials said other significant arrests included Jimmy Caraballo-Colon, 25, of Puerto Rico, and Eduardo Arturo Romero Barrios, 33, of Mexico, both of whom have several alleged victims around the world.

The operation is a reminder to parents to be aware of their children’s online activity, especially during the summer when most schools are not in session, Mack said.

Anyone with information about potential victims is encouraged to call Homeland Security Investigations at (866) 347-2423.